Island



C. W. LIVERMORE.

FOUNTAIN PEN.

Patented M ay 24, 1887 nA Pnzns, mmmmnmr. wuhsmm n. c,

r3 needle projecting 2o airtub; C, a cap screwed upon the top of the 3o coupled.

3 5 enlarged to entirely 4c adjusted longitudinally by screwing or slipthe writing-point, and said needle cZ may by 5o fastened into the lower end of tube b, and clos- UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

FOUNTAIN-PEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,526, dated May 24, 1887.

Application filed August l5., 157i).

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEs W. LIVER- MORE, of the city and county of Providence, and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fount ain-Pens, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to those fountain-pens or i1ik\vriters provided with a tine vibrating slightly from a tapering or cone-shaped writing-point, the ink finding its way through the same passage occupied by the needle from the ink-reservoir in the interior of the handle.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a longitudinal central section of a fountainpen embodying my improvements, and Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof on line ac y.

F is the fountain or ink-reservoir; A, an

handle, which governs the ingress of air into the air-tube. A cross-section of the tube or handle is made at some point near the writing end, dividing the pen into two unequal parts or sections. The upper and longer section is designated by S, the lower and shorter section by S'. These parts or sections are united by screw-threads or other convenient means by which they can be readily coupled and un- The interior of section S is occupied by the tube b, whose external diameter is slightly less than the internal diameter of section S', except at the top, where tube b is sufficiently fill the space, and where the two are united by screw-threads or other convenient means, allowing of the ready removal of the tube b when required.

It is obvious that the tube b can be readily ping the same up or down at will. By this means the needle d, attached to the lower end of said tube, as hereinafter explained, may be made to project more or less from the end of the same means be adjusted with respect to such projection from time to time to compensate for wear of the parts at that point.

Zis a small cylinder screwed or otherwise ing it against the passage ofink. Both ends of this cylinder are closed, the upper end by a plug or screw, m. Through the lower head ofthis cylinder the needle tZ is passed, having an interior collar, n, to hold it from falling out. above the collar. A small wire spring, a, is placed within the cylinder, one end of which rests against the collar a of the needle, winding around the inwardly-projecting end of the needle, while the other is confined by the screw or plug m inthe opposite end of the cylinder Z. The needle extends from this point The upper end of the needle extends of attachment down through the length of the writing or tapering point and protrudes slightly therefrom. Pressure upon this needle-point in the act of writing causes it to recede until it is iiush with the writing-point, thereby compressing the spring a, resting against the collar of the needle within the cylinder Z, and the moment this pressure is removed from the needle-point it is again thrust out by the spring a.

The course of the inl; is from the larger space or reservoir, E, around the air-tube in section S, downward into the tube b, and through'the length of that tube until it is arrested by the cylinder Z in the bottom of the tube. It then iiows through apertures in the side of the tube and into the lower cavity of section S', and thence into the needle-passage, following the needle until it reaches the point and is shed upon the paper.

4As it is desirable to have theneedle eZ centrally located and parallel with the bore or passage e, in which it has its longitudinal play, I provide for guides or bearings against the shank of the upper portion of the needle itself. For this purposev I enlarge the shank and also the upper portion of the bore, making the shank fit the bore, or, in other words, till it. As this would check the iiow of the ink, I cut one or more grooves, e', in the side of the bore-e around the closely-fitting shank, to allow the ink to pass below the shank and flow around the needle below. These grooves e' are yshown by cross-section in Fig. 2 online a@ y. The needle is thus centrally guided and free from any tendency to bind or nduly rub against the sides of the channel in which it 10o dle, a tube or sleeve corresponding to the enlargement of the shank may extend downward from the head of the cylinder, surrounding and guiding the needle.

C is a simple cap or point-cover, only used to protect the point when the pen is not employed.

In filling or replenishing the reservoir, the two sections S and S' are iirst separated; but in the construction here shown all the slender and delicate parts located in section S' remain undisturbed and uneXposed, and as fully protected as when the two sections are coupled together.

It will be observed that the needlederives its support from the cylinder in tube b, while the latter is supported by the walls of sectionpiece S', and, further, that the needle-support is fixed and secure, and liable to no displacement when the two main sections S and S are separated; also, that the spring a, which actuates the needle, is inclosed and protected from the corrosive action of the ink, and in cleaning the more intricate parts from' sediment or ink that has become thick it is only necessary to withdraw the tube I), which, with its immediate attachments, presents comparatively smooth surfaces, which are therefore easily cleaned.

I do not broadly claim the handle or open ease of a fountain-pen made in sections and provided with a needle holding` and supporting tube inserted and secured in the lower section, nor the handle or case of a fountainpen provided with a needle-supporting.tube attached to and supported by the wall of the handle or case, nor a fountain-pen having an air-tube in sections.

I do not claim, broadly, in a sectional handle, a needle-holder inserted and secured in the lower section, the same having been adjudged by the office to be the invention of George F. Hawkes, in an .interferencedeelared between this application and that of said Hawkes, led September 4, 1880. My improvement consists in the detachable feature of such needle-holder, which enables lne to construct the said lower section entire and afterward to introduce the needle-holder with its needle, and to connect t-he said lower section directly tothe upper section without the interposition of any connecting-piece or coupling. My said eonstruetion also enables ine to withdraw or detach the said needle-holder from the lower section to clean or repair the same, or to substitute a new holder or new needle. The eonstructionof the said Hawkes shows no such capacity, and said adjudication in favor of Hawkes docs not point out any construction whereby these results can be accomplished.

I am aware that the handle of a fountainpen has been provided with a point-section containing a perforated diaphragm through which the spindle passes and by which it 1s guided; but such does not constitute my 1nvention.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a fountain-peli, the combination,with upper and lower sections, S S', of a spindle or needle holding tube removably secured to and solely supported by the lower section, S', substantially as described. Y

. 2. In a fountain-pen, the combination ofthe sections S S', directly connected together at their adjoining ends, and a detachable needle holding and supporting tube, I), secured to and solely supported by the lower sect-ion, S', substantially as described.

`3. lu afountain-pen, the combination ofthe sections S S', directly connected together at their adjoining ends, and a needle holding and supporting tube, 7:, solely supported by the lower section, S', and adjustable lengthwise therein, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the handle of a fountain-pen', of a removable needle-holding tube, b, supported therein, a cylinder, Z, con nected with the lower end of said tube, a needle, d, and a spring located in said cylinder above the needle for actuating the latter, substantially as described.

5; The combination of the sections S S", directly connected together at their ad'oi'ning ends, a removable needle-holding tube, b, secured in and solely supported by the lower section, S', a cylinder, Z, connected with the lower end of the tube, a needle, d, and a spring located in the cylinder above the needle for actuating the same, substantially as described.

6. The section S', provided with a needlepassage for guiding and steadying the upper portion of the needleshank, in combination with the removable needle holding tube b, secured in and supported by said section, acylinder, Z, connected with the lower end of the tube, a needle, d, and a spring located in the cylinder abovethe needle to actuate the latter, substantially as described.

7. The section S', provided with a needle channel or passage the upper portion of which holds and steadies the needle-shank, and is formed with side grooves for the passage ot' ink, substantially as set forth.

8. Inafountain-pen, aspindle-holder adjustably held at the lower end of the ink-reservoir in a fixed part of the outer case, substantially as described.

CHARLES W; LIVERMORE.

Witnesses:

Lucius O. Rockwool), RUssELL BINGHAM. 

